The State Government has backflipped on its decision to scrap the AvonLink train service

The AvonLink, which travels from Perth to Northam, was due to be cancelled this month.

Supplied: TransWA

The State Government has backflipped on its decision to scrap the AvonLink train service between Perth and Northam.

The Transport Minister Troy Buswell came under fire in August after it was revealed buses would replace the train service from the end of this year because of low patronage and the high operating costs of the service.

At the time, Mr Buswell said the service was unaffordable.

"The Avon Link will be replaced by a bus service that will save taxpayers between $800,000 and $900,000 a year," he said.

"We decided that as part of our budget deliberations.

"At the end of the day it would be great to continue the service but for the 30 people on average who were using it a day, we just couldn't afford to keep it in place.

"It is reflective of the environment we are operating in."

More than 3,000 Avon Valley residents signed a petition urging the government to keep the AvonLink passenger rail service open.

Mr Buswell has now told State Parliament the service will be retained until mid-next year, and may even be expanded in the future.

"That service Mr Speaker will be retained, initially for a period of six months, while the PTA and the Wheatbelt Development Commission work through the funding solution that will be required."

String of backflips

The decision follows a string of backflips by the Barnett Government since it was re-elected in March.

That includes scrapping plans to halve the solar feed-in tariff after a public backlash and disquiet from Liberal MPs.

The government was also forced to make changes to another budget decision which would have seen the families of 457 visa holders charged $4,000 per year for each child attending a public school.

The fee will now come into effect a year later and will only be applied in full to the first child.

And the government also backed away from its plans to split the City of Vincent between the Cities of Perth and Stirling as part of its changes to local government.